Bulk Cargo

Bulk cargo refers to goods transported in unpackaged, loose form, such as coal, ore, grain, and fertilizer. In customer management, bulk cargo customers typically feature large single volumes, long-term cooperation, and price sensitivity. Use cases include chartering and booking, port loading and unloading, and warehousing arrangements. Precautions: clarify loading/discharging responsibilities (FIOST terms), measurement methods (draft survey), and the impact of cargo characteristics (e.g., liquefaction risk) on transportation. Compared with containerized cargo, bulk cargo relies more on full-ship transport and often involves demurrage/despatch calculations. The difference from breakbulk cargo is that breakbulk is packaged and countable, while bulk cargo is unpackaged and measured by weight or volume. Foreign trade practitioners should pay attention to charter party terms, cargo seaworthiness, and customer credit to avoid disputes caused by cargo shortage or quality issues.